US Winter Storm

Powerful winter storm rapidly intensified over the central United States on Wednesday, March 13, 2019, producing blizzard conditions and widespread hurricane-force wind gusts.

Over 1 100 drivers were stranded, at least one person has been killed and nearly 200 000 left without power.

The storm across the central Plains will continue to bring blizzard conditions to parts of the northern Plains and Rockies through Thursday, where travel remains difficult, the National Weather Service warns.

Heavy rain, snowmelt, and ice jams on rivers have produced widespread flooding across the Upper Midwest. Meanwhile, severe storms with damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes are possible from the Great Lakes to the South.

NWS Weather Prediction Center described the storm as a "cyclone of historic proportions".

Over the past 24 hours, NWS offices logged about 350 wind gusts of 80+ km/h, with a further 92 reports of damage. The most significant gusts (112+ km/h) were recorded in northeastern New Mexico, Texas Panhandle and eastern Colorado.
Source: DORRIS